Chapter 2-2
1220 Words
Lucas had not slept well. After giving up around four in the morning, he got out of bed and decided to research baseball on the web. He was pulling out his hair within twenty minutes.
What the hell is a DH? And why are some people so against it?
He typed “DH” and “baseball” into the Google bar and the words “designated hitter” popped up.
What the hell? You can have someone hit the ball for you? Too bad I didn’t know about that in kindergarten, the one and only day I played T-ball.
He gave up and grabbed himself a couple of granola bars, then looked around his little studio rental. He had moved so quickly, he had yet to find a more permanent place. At least living at the extended-stay hotel would give him a chance to find out more about the area. On the plus side, it had a fridge and small stove. He wasn’t a bad cook and had a few of his own pots and pans still packed in a box. He stretched as he paced around his place. He still needed to get unpacked. He would be here at least a month or so. It was time to make himself a little more at home.
The place offered a free breakfast downstairs every morning. Cereal, bagels, and even scrambled eggs. There was coffee and juice, but he had tried the coffee the previous morning and immediately decided to stick with Starbucks. He’d been thrilled to find one right next to the office building.
After he showered and dressed, he called his new boss and filled him in on the plan for the day. Mr. Sheldon was happy that he’d found someone willing to help him.
“Don’t worry, son, this is for only a short time. We’re lining up some interviews today,” he promised Lucas.
“Thanks. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the job,” Lucas began, but his boss cut him off.
“Say no more, Landry. We hired you for news, not sports. But we really appreciate you pinch-hitting for us on this.”
Shit. Did everyone talk in sports lingo? He felt like he’d fallen through the rabbit hole. Lucas had spent most of his life running from sports and jocks, but since arriving here in Rain Valley, he’d been thrust into their world. It was…unsettling, to say the least.
His boss let him go and he waited for Caleb to give him a call.
Caleb. He sighed and shook his head, frustrated. What was he going to do about that man? He couldn’t let Caleb know he was gay. God, he couldn’t relive his high school days. He’d barely survived back then.
Being the daily target of school bullies had almost been his undoing, and most of those bullies had been jocks. Big, muscle-bound, testosterone-laced, angry jocks. He had cowered then, refusing to fight back. But now? He wasn’t the same person he’d been in high school.
College had been a saving grace for him. He found his courage to be who he was, but even then he stayed away from athletes. Of course, he’d run in a different circle there. All his friends had been journalists, or at least wanted to be. The closest he’d ever gotten to sports was when his old roommate dragged him golfing. Truth be told, he hated golf, too.
No, he knew he wouldn’t shrink away just because some sports-monkey wanted to belittle him. He’d stand up for himself now; Lucas was sure of it.
He continued pacing the small room, giving himself his pep talk. Just because he was attracted to this man didn’t mean he couldn’t handle the situation. He could keep his attraction a secret and get through this assignment. Hell, maybe he could look back at it someday and laugh at the absurdity of it all. Lucas falling for a jock? Not possible. He could—
The shrill ring of his cell cut into his thoughts and he fished it out of his pocket. “Hello?”
“Lucas?”
“Yes.” Damn, it was Caleb. He knew that voice, and his body was already betraying him. “Caleb?”
“Yup. When do you want to get started?”
That depends on what you want to start. He smiled. Stop it, Lucas!
“Lucas?”
He snapped back to attention. “Sorry. I’m ready any time.”
“Great! Want to meet in about an hour at my place?”
Lucas’ c**k twitched. Damn. His place. That had all the markings of a disaster in the making. But apparently his mind was listening to his c**k because he heard himself tell Caleb that sounded fine.
Caleb agreed to text him the address so he could use his phone’s GPS, and they hung up.
Within seconds, he had the information on his phone. But what would he do for the next forty minutes until he needed to leave? A growl from his stomach answered that question. The granola bar had definitely not been enough for breakfast. He decided to have a bagel downstairs, so he grabbed his laptop and headed for the elevator.
* * * *
As Lucas stood in line in the little dining area, someone bumped him from behind. He turned to see a pretty young woman with red hair smiling at him.
“I’m so sorry,” she purred, offering her hand to him.
He shook it. “No problem,” he replied with a smile.
“I’m Claire.”
“Lucas.”
“I know. I saw you at the ballpark yesterday. You’re the new announcer, right?”
“No. Well, yes, for now I am, but it’s only temporary.”
She smiled again, this time a little too suggestively, and slid a little closer. He started to get the feeling that the bump had been intentional.
“I’m staying on the third floor,” she volunteered. “Just for a couple of weeks, though. Once my divorce is final, I’m moving back to my place. Just waiting for him to get out, you know?”
Lucas nodded, but no, he had no idea. He had never been married. Never been divorced. Never even lived with someone. Well, he’d had roommates, but that was different than sharing a life with someone.
“I’m sorry to hear about your divorce,” he expressed.
She wrinkled her nose in distaste. “I’m not. He’s an ass. Married less than a year and found him doing my best friend. In my bed.”
“Wow…um, sorry….” He had no idea what to say. What was the proper etiquette in this kind of situation? he wondered.
“Don’t be. He can have her skanky ass and her fake boobs. Mine are real,” she divulged. “Besides, I’m on to bigger and better things,” she added, her voice breathy. She leaned in and whispered, “It’s time I had some fun, too. Don’t you think?”
Sister, you are barking up the wrong tree. “Um, sure.” He grabbed his bagel and turned around for his laptop. “Listen, I have to get going. It was nice meeting you,” he added as he practically ran out to his car.
He didn’t care if he still had at least half an hour to kill, he needed to get away from there. He glanced at himself in the rearview mirror and laughed. His face was beet red and his dirty blond hair was sticking up in different directions. He looked a little like a mad scientist. Lucas shook his head and took a bite of his bagel. He never knew how to respond to pushy women. Well, that was only half-true. He never knew how to respond to women in general. They were so alien to him.
As he pulled out of the parking lot, he tried not to pay attention to the butterflies in his stomach. The idea of spending time alone with Caleb, in his home, caused all kinds of reactions in his body. He might be attracted to Caleb, but the man was a straight jock and Lucas needed to remember that.
- Writer
